Object-Oriented Modeling Simulation and Control of Activated Sludge Process

Object-oriented modeling is spreading in current simulation of wastewater treatments plants through the use of the individual components of the process and its relations to define the underlying dynamic equations. In this paper, we describe the use of the free-software OpenModelica simulation environment for the object-oriented modeling of an activated sludge process under feedback control. The performance of the controlled system was analyzed both under normal conditions and in the presence of disturbances. The object-oriented described approach represents a valuable tool in teaching provides a practical insight in wastewater process control field.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Object-oriented modeling and simulation of the closed loop cardiovascular system by using SIMSCAPE

The modeling of physiological systems via mathematical equations reflects the calculation procedure more than the structure of the real system modeled, with the simulation environment SIMULINK™ being one of the best suited to this strategy. Nevertheless, object-oriented modeling is spreading in current simulation environments through the use of the individual components of the model and its interconnections to define the underlying dynamic equations. In this paper we describe the use of the SIMSCAPE™ simulation environment in the object-oriented modeling of the closed loop cardiovascular system. The described approach represents a valuable tool in the teaching of physiology for graduate medical students

Utilización de las Redes sociales en el aprendizaje colaborativo y transversal de la Farmacovigilancia Veterinaria

Sección Deptal. de Farmacología y Toxicología (Veterinaria)Fac. de VeterinariaFALSEsubmitte

Flood Hazard Analysis in the ”Caldera de Taburiente” National Park (La Palma, Canary Islands, Spain) using Dendrogeomorphology

Aplicación de técnicas dendroecológicas para el estudio de avenidas torrenciales

Prevalence of dementia and major dementia subtypes in Spanish populations: A reanalysis of dementia prevalence surveys, 1990-2008

Background This study describes the prevalence of dementia and major dementia subtypes in Spanish elderly. Methods We identified screening surveys, both published and unpublished, in Spanish populations, which fulfilled specific quality criteria and targeted prevalence of dementia in populations aged 70 years and above. Surveys covering 13 geographically different populations were selected (prevalence period: 1990-2008). Authors of original surveys provided methodological details of their studies through a systematic questionnaire and also raw age-specific data. Prevalence data were compared using direct adjustment and logistic regression. Results The reanalyzed study population (aged 70 year and above) was composed of Central and North-Eastern Spanish sub-populations obtained from 9 surveys and totaled 12,232 persons and 1,194 cases of dementia (707 of Alzheimer's disease, 238 of vascular dementia). Results showed high variation in age- and sex-specific prevalence across studies. The reanalyzed prevalence of dementia was significantly higher in women; increased with age, particularly for Alzheimer's disease; and displayed a significant geographical variation among men. Prevalence was lowest in surveys reporting participation below 85%, studies referred to urban-mixed populations and populations diagnosed by psychiatrists. Conclusion Prevalence of dementia and Alzheimer's disease in Central and North-Eastern Spain is higher in females, increases with age, and displays considerable geographic variation that may be method-related. People suffering from dementia and Alzheimer's disease in Spain may approach 600,000 and 400,000 respectively. However, existing studies may not be completely appropriate to infer prevalence of dementia and its subtypes in Spain until surveys in Southern Spain are conductedFinancial aid was obtained from the Spanish RECSP C03-09, CIEN C03-06 and CIBERNED networks, and from the Pfizer Foundation in particularS

Prevalence of disability in a composite ≥75 year-old population in Spain: A screening survey based on the International Classification of Functioning

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The prevalence and predictors of functional status and disability of elderly people have been studied in several European countries including Spain. However, there has been no population-based study incorporating the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) framework as the basis for assessing disability. The present study reports prevalence rates for mild, moderate, and severe/extreme disability by the domains of activities and participation of the ICF.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Nine populations surveyed in previous prevalence studies contributed probabilistic and geographically defined samples in June 2005. The study sample was composed of 503 subjects aged ≥75 years. We implemented a two-phase screening design using the MMSE and the World Health Organization-Disability Assessment Schedule 2^ndedition (WHO-DAS II, 12 items) as cognitive and disability screening tools, respectively. Participants scoring within the positive range of the disability screening were administered the full WHO-DAS II (36 items; score range: 0-100) assessing the following areas: Understanding and communication, Getting along with people, Life activities, Getting around, Participation in society, and Self-care. Each disability area assessed by WHO-DAS II (36 items) was reported according to the ICF severity ranges (No problem, 0-4; Mild disability, 5-24; Moderate disability, 25-49; Severe/Extreme disability, 50-100).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The age-adjusted disability prevalence figures were: 39.17 ± 2.18%, 15.31 ± 1.61%, and 10.14 ± 1.35% for mild, moderate, and severe/extreme disability, respectively. Severe and extreme disability prevalence in mobility and life activities was three times higher than the average, and highest among women. Sex variations were minimal, although life activities for women of 85 years and over had more severe/extreme disability as compared to men (OR = 5.15 95% CI 3.19-8.32).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Disability is highly prevalent among the Spanish elderly. Sex- and age-specific variations of disability are associated with particular disability domains.</p

Técnicas y tecnologías en hidrología médica e hidroterapia

El objetivo del presente informe es difundir entre los profesionales médicos la información que contribuya a orientarles en la materia, conocer las aplicaciones terapéuticas o rehabilitadoras que pueden ofrecer los distintos centros termales y explorar su interacción con los tratamientos médicos habituales a los que suelen estar sometidos los usuarios de estos programas de termalismo

All-sky Medium Energy Gamma-ray Observatory: Exploring the Extreme Multimessenger Universe

The All-sky Medium Energy Gamma-ray Observatory (AMEGO) is a probe class mission concept that will provide essential contributions to multimessenger astrophysics in the late 2020s and beyond. AMEGO combines high sensitivity in the 200 keV to 10 GeV energy range with a wide field of view, good spectral resolution, and polarization sensitivity. Therefore, AMEGO is key in the study of multimessenger astrophysical objects that have unique signatures in the gamma-ray regime, such as neutron star mergers, supernovae, and flaring active galactic nuclei. The order-of-magnitude improvement compared to previous MeV missions also enables discoveries of a wide range of phenomena whose energy output peaks in the relatively unexplored medium-energy gamma-ray band

Precisión diagnóstica de la medición ecográfica del grosor de la vaina del nervio óptico en la hipertensión intracraneal idiopática

Introducción: la medición ecográfica del grosor de la vaina del nervio óptico (GVNO) es una técnica útil, no invasiva y fiable para la detección de hipertensión intracraneal en pacientes neurocríticos. Los datos referentes a su valor en otras patologías como la hipertensión intracraneal idiopática (HII) son escasos y provienen de algunos estudios observacionales con un número escaso de participantes y limitadas publicaciones de casos clínicos aislados. Objetivos: los objetivos principales de este estudio son evaluar en nuestro centro la precisión diagnóstica de la medición ecográfica del GVNO y otras variables ecográficas comparadas con la manometría espinal, así como establecer el punto de corte que mejor prediga el diagnóstico de la HII y valorar la respuesta del GVNO a cambios inmediatos de presión intracraneal (PIC). Material y métodos: Se trata de un estudio de validación diagnóstica en fase III. Se realizó una ecografía orbitaria con medición del GVNO y una punción lumbar con manometría de LCR a un grupo de pacientes con hipertensión intracraneal idiopática de nuevo diagnóstico y a un grupo control con diferentes patologías neurológicas sin hipertensión intracraneal que precisaban someterse a ella. La validez de la técnica se estableció con los resultados de la manometría espinal. Resultados: los pacientes con HII mostraron un GVNO significativamente mayor que los pacientes sin hipertensión intracraneal. El punto de corte que mejor predijo la elevación de la presión intracraneal fue 6,1mm, con una sensibilidad de 97,3%, una especificidad de 71,43%, una eficiencia de 84,72%, un likelihood ratio positivo de 3,14 y un likelihood ratio negativo de 0,037. Tras la normalización de la presión intracraneal mediante una punción lumbar terapéutica, un 83% de los casos tuvo una reducción parcial de los valores del GVNO. El grosor del espacio subaracnoideo perióptico (GSAPO) mostró un rendimiento diagnóstico equivalente al del GVNO. La concordancia o grado de acuerdo interobservador fue bueno (coeficiente correlación intraclase para el GVNO: 0, 848) Conclusiones: La ecografía orbitaria, es una técnica útil, válida, segura y fiable para el diagnóstico de HII, que además es sensible de manera inmediata a los cambios de PIC